Coupling mechanism



E. P. KINNE.

COUPLING MECHANISM.

gwvucAnou FILED SEPT-.6, 1919. Y

. Patented Oct. 19, 1920.-

2 SHEETS SHEi-IT l E. P. KINNE.

COUPLlNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. s, 1919.

1,356,210. Patenmd 00th 19,1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNS'I' ED' STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

COUPLING MECHANISM.

Application filed September 6, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDM'UNDIP. KINNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alliance, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Coupling Mechanism, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to transitional coupling mechanism. 7

In certain foreign countries railway cars are connected to each other by a hook and chain arrangement, adjacent ends of the cars being provided with cooperating buffersto prevent damage to the car structures proper and to retain the cars a predetermined distance apart to prevent the connection from being disturbed. In some of these foreign countries the railway companles are changing over from the hook and chain connection between cars to a connection made by automatic couplers. It will be appreciated that all of the cars cannot be equipped with automatic couplers at the same time, but nevertheless, the cars which are equipped with automatic couplers and those which are not so equipped must be connected in the same train. In other words, there is a transitional period in which adjacent cars may be connected by the old hook and chain arrangement, by an automatic coupler on one car and a hook on an adjacent car connected by a chain, or by two automatic oou plers. During this transitional period obviously, it is necessary to have buffers on the cars.

Accordingly one object of my invention is to provide a transitional coupling arrangement whereby railway cars may be connected either by a coupler on one car and a hook on another connected to the coupler by a chain, or by two automatic couplers being connected directly to each other.

Another object is to provide a transitional coupling arrangement adapted to meet all the requirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by means of the arrangement disclosed on the accompanying sheets of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan view of two railway cars connected to each other by an automatic coupler, a hook, and a chain connection between the coupler and the hook;

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 0a. 19, 1920. Serial No. 322,009. I

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of two cars connected by means of automatic couplers, the right hand buffer in each case being removed or moved from its normal posithe automatic connection description and the drawings andwill be plarticularly pointed out in the appended c aims.

Referring to the figures of the drawings, 1t Wlll be noted that I have shown two railway cars 10 and 11 which are provided with VZLI'IOHS coupling mechanisms which must;be

used during the transitional period referred to. Heretofore the railway cars have been connected to each other by means of hooks 12, one of which is shownon car 10 in Fig. 1., the hooks on adjacent cars being connected by any suitable flexible connection such as a chain 13. Such cars necessarily are equipped STEEL FOUNDRIES,

with buffers 14 preferably mounted on the 1 end sills of the car, which bufi'ers cooperate to maintain the cars at a predetermined minimum distance apart.

In Fig. 1 the car 11 is shown equipped with an automatic coupler 15, the knuckle 16 of which is slotted to receive a casting 17, the latter being rigidly connected to the former by a pin 18. This casting 17 has its free end terminatingat a point adjacent the guard arm 19 whereby it is impossible for the associated link connected thereto to become accidentally disengaged. The longer ofthe two connected links which is connected to the shorter link, is connected to thehook 12. It is seen, therefore, how the cars may be connected to each other when one of the cars is equipped with the old time hook and the other car is equipped with an automatic coupler. Of course it is appreciated that the finger piece which will not be used when two automatic couplers are connected directly to each other. The bufiers 14 shown in Fig. 1 perform their usual function.

In order to connect the cars 10 and 11 by couplers directly engaging each other it is or casting 17 is a separate necessary that one of the cooperating buffers 14; at each side of the car be removed or moved from its normal position. To meet this requirement I have pivotall mounted the right-hand buffer 14 on eac of the cars so that the said buffers may be swung into a position whereby the direct coupling connection may be made. It will be noted when the automatic couplers directly engage each other for making a connection between two adjacent cars the castings or fingers 17 are removed from the knuckles 16. Preferably the buffers in question are pivotally mounted as at 20 and may be swung into their normal position and secured in such position by a pin passing through cooperating eye portions 21 and 22. When the buffers are swung down out of their normal position they are retained in place by a link 23 connected to a hook 2st under the car.

By means of this arrangement cars may be connected to each other whether they are equipped with the old hook arrangement or with automatic couplers or one with one and one with the other, the pivotally mounted buffers being in one position or the other in ac'cordance with the coupler connection being used.

It is my intention to cover all modifications of the invention falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of railway cars adjacent ends of which are provided with cooperating vertically movably mounted buffers movable to a position under' the associated car, an automatic coupler connected to one end of one of said cars, and means whereby said coupler may be connected by link to a hook on said other car with said buffers in normal position and when said other car has an automatic coupler said cars being capable of being connected by direct engagement between the knuckles of automatic couplers when certain of said buffers occupy non-functioning positions under the end of the car.

2. In combination, a plurality of railway cars adjacent ends of which are provided with cooperating buffers, certain of said buffers being pivotally mounted whereby they may be moved from a normal hori EDMUND P. KINNE. 

